Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-01-31
OUR LOCAL LEGISLATORS.
What Representatives Crawford
and Piatt are Doing.
of the Illinois Assembly The Grand
jury system, Etc.

jury system, Etc.
Probably no bill of greater importance
will come before the general assembly at
the present session than the one from
Rock Island, providing for the abolishine
of the grand jury system. 1t has been pre-
pared by ex-State's Attorney Parmenter,
and is in the hands of Representative
Crawford, of this county. 1t is an excel.
lent bill and should become law. Here
it is:
TO ABOLISH THE GRAND JURY
A bill for an act to abolish grand juries
and to regulate the practice in criminal
cases upon information In courts OF
record
Section l Be it enacted by the people
of the State of Illinois, represented in
the General Assembly, That grand juries
are hereby abolished, and shall not here
after be drawn or summoned; but the
several courts of record of this state are
hereby invested with power and jurisdic-
ton TO arraign, try and convict any pei
son or persons upon information, for any
and all crimes and offenses, whether fel.
onies or misdemeanors. to the same extent
and effect as they now possess and may
exercise upon indictment by grand jury;
and the process and proceedings shall in
all cases be the same as are now had on
such indictments.
Sec. 2. All informatioDs shall be
signed by the states attorney of the pro per
county as informant, and be filed in vaca
tion or during the term, in the court hav-
ing jurisdiction of the offense, and in cases
of felony copy of such information
shall be furnished to the psrty or parties
accused before his, her or their arraign-
ment.
Sec. 3. The states attorney shall en-
dorse on said information the name OF
names of the witness or witnesses know n
TO him at the time of filing the same, and
he shall give notice, in writing, TO the
accused or his attorney, before trial, OF
the name or names Of any other witness
or witnesses that may subsequently come
to his knowledge; and no witness shall be
permitted to testify unless the party OF
parties accused shall have received notice
of the same in the manner above men.
toned
Sec. 4. All information shall be veri-
fled by the oath Of the states attorney or
some other person, and the offense shall
be therein stated with the same fulluess
and precision as is now required in an in
diCtment, and the same rules of pledging
and practice which now pertain TO indict-
ments shall be applicable to informations.
Sec. 5. No information shall be filed
against any person or persons for anv
otfense, except IN cases of misdemeanor,
until such person or persons shall have had
ii preliminary examination before Justice
of the peace or police magistrate and cons
mitted or held for trial al provided by
law. unless such person or persons shall
waive such examination.
Sec. 6. The Justice of the peace or
police magistrate conducting the examin-
alton shall hear all the testimony Of all
the witnesses addLccd, either on behalf
of the state or the defendant, and shall
reduce such testimony to writing. and
each witness shall be required to sign the
testimony by him or her given and re-
duced to writing by such justice or mag
istrate. AS aforesaid. In case the Justice
or magistrate commits or holds to bailthe
party or parties accused, he shall at once
transmit and file with the clerk Of the
proper court tue testimony taken by him,
as aforesaid
Sec :. 1t shall be the duty Of the
states attorney to make full investigation
of all the facts and circumstances of every
case in which the party or parties accused
have been committed or held to bail for
trial and file proper informations against
such party or parties, unless the state S
attorney shall determine from such inves-
tigation that no information ought to be
filed. in which case he shall file with the
clerk OF the court in which the party or
parties are held for trial, a statement in
writing, setting forth his reasons for not
filing such information. which shall have
the same effect as a nciLe pros. Prooided,
that the court may examine said state
mGDt on the testimony taken al the pre-
liminary examination, and if the court
shall not be satisfied with said statement
he may direct the states attorney to file O
proper information and bring the case to
trial.
Sec. s All laws and parts of laws
which relate to indictments, except so fal
as modified by this act, shall in the same
manner apply 10 informations herein pro-
vided for.
Sec. o. The provisions of this act shall
not interfere with any suits or proceed
ings commenced or pending in the several
courts of this state al the time when the
same shall lake effect
PIATT AT WORK.
Hon Iphp piatt hos cont rs ropiac "A